Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Hope and Blessings

Sarah is a freshmen who rocks out the keyboard and piano at chapel on Sunday nights!!

The Beatitudes shown in Matthew are
meant to be a sort comfort for those who feel unworthy to be welcomed into the
Christian faith and also feel that they are being criticized for their faith. I
personally will often have times when I feel weak and beaten from daily life.
In attempts to keep the people around me happy and not cause issues, I often
run myself down in exhaustion. Sometimes there seems to be no end in sight to
the barrage of chaos and unhappiness.

But that's exactly the point of
these Beatitudes: to provide hope when things look bleak. Not only for those
who are being persecuted for their faith, but simply for those who often feel
discouraged by life itself. I am one of many people who feels like I must
constantly try to step down from an argument to keep things peaceful, or that I
have to be the one who says "I'm sorry" first. I try to keep the
peace and I try to be as generous and merciful as I possibly can. After awhile,
I begin to feel beaten down and hurt from this borderline subservience. Despite
this, however, I feel blessed. He has not waited to bless me when I pass on, He
has blessed me now with comfort and support from the most unlikely of places
during times when I feel that I am giving myself up for everything and everyone
else.

Yet He also blesses me when I do
finally decide to stand up for myself—namely for my belief in him. I'm not a
very loud person when it comes to opinions, but through His strength I am not
afraid to calmly and openly explain to others what Jesus's love means to me.
And if people unfairly criticize me for my beliefs, I know in the end it will
not matter because He is always there to comfort me.The word "Christian," like any other religious
label, has developed its own connotation that is not always positive, and I am
more than willing to correct the meaning, and God has blessed me with strength
to do so and also with people who will support me or people who will hear what
I have to say.

Never forget that He will always be
your strength and guide when you feel at your weakest. You will always be
blessed, because even though it can be discouraging to be the one who
apologizes or always forgives, He will never leave your side. He knows what you
did and you will be rewarded the Kingdom of Heaven for it.